Tuesday, July 29, 2008

This 94-minute DVD from The History Channel explores what could possibly happen to the planet if one day people just ceased to exist. They're not talking nuclear war or natural disaster, just if people suddenly disappeared.

From the site: "If humans were to suddenly disappear, what would happen to our planet - the structures we've built, the everyday items we take for granted, domesticated and wild animal, plants, trees? What would become of the things that define our species and leave our mark on this Earth?"

When I first received this DVD, I wasn't sure how I would feel about. However, when I started watching it, I was intrigued at the thought of "Life After People". I mean, who will feed our pets, keep the generators running, protect the structures from being overcome by vegetation? The strangest feeling of all is when you realize that in their portrayed senario, you no longer exist either. Creepy!

As a flight attendant, one of the most common questions I receive from traveling families besides "Do you have extra diapers on board?" is "Have you ever heard of the CARES Restraint System? Is it really that easy?"

Well, thanks to **, not only can I say I have heard about it but I've also had the opportunity to actually test it out on a recent flight to Maui.

First of all, let me tell you that anything that will decrease the amount of things I need to lug to the plane is always a blessing in my book.Secondly, it was really easy to install. The only thing is that you'll need to temporarily put down the tray table of the person behind you and they may not always be the most cooperative people on board. However, once they realize that it will not interfere with their "personal space" in any way, they're usually pretty understanding.

Third, Baby Bug loved that she could sit on the plane's seat like her big sister. Plus it helps that she's always been really good about strapping into her car seat. To her this was a treat!

Overall, we loved using the CARES Restraint System and would highly recommend it to anyone traveling with young children. However, just be prepared to explain to the flight attendant what it is. Even though we (flight attendants) have all been informed that the CARES System is FAA approved, many may not have seen it in person yet.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

These days, it's hard to find quality family entertainment for kids of all ages. That's why our family has always been big fans of Veggie Tales.

From the site: Meet Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry – two friends homesteading along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. Tom and Huck look forward to owning their own land, building a home and opening Huck’s Jerkyland and Tom’s Tax Preparation. But everything changes when they meet a mysterious stranger who is on the run and trying to find his mama. Will Huck and Tom risk losing all they’ve worked for in order to help someone they hardly know? Find out in this exciting river rescue that reminds kids of the importance of helping others.

This newly released 50-minute DVD is great for the whole family and includes a brand new song - The Biscuit of Zazzamarandabo. If your family is a Veggie Tales fan, they will love it! This DVD can be purchased at Amazon.com for $13.99.

Giveaway: I have one brand new copy available to give away to a very lucky family. To enter:

Mention in comments what you like about the Veggie Tales team before August 1st. That’s it!

A random winner will be selected and notified on August 2nd.

The winner will then have 3 days to claim their prize.

To earn more entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

The Motor Company is searching for female film makers who can capture the sense of empowerment, freedom and adventure that is inherent when women get behind the handlebars of their very own Harley-Davidson motorcycle in a two minute short film. Not only will the winning film maker have the opportunity to release their film during a special premiere party in Los Angeles, they’ll also receive $5,000 for their next film project, a high definition video camera and a Harley-Davidson leather jacket. Rules, regulations and full contest details are available at www.bikescameraaction.tv.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

T-Mobile recently announced that they're entering the home phone market. A great thing for all existing T-Mobile cell phone customers.

For just $10/month, which can be added to your current T-Mobile cell phone plan, you'll receive free unlimited nationwide calling, caller ID, call waiting, & voicemail. This service makes use of your current broadband internet connection using a special Linksys WRTU54g-TM router and provides you with up to 2 phone lines.When I first received the phone & wireless router, I was a little overwhelmed. I just couldn't understand how it was all supposed to fit together. However, once I read the manual and actually started looking at the components, it all made sense. First, I installed the wireless router program into my PC and which didn't take much time at all. Then I inserted the SIM card into the back of the router. Finally, once it was connected to the internet, all I had to do was plug in the phone and I was all set. I found the sound quality to be very clear on both the sending and receiving end.

Monday, July 21, 2008

This giveaway is closed. Thank you for your participation.The winner is Misty @ Planet Misty.Congratulations!

Every once in a while, we all need a little pampering.

Beyond The Bomb is a brand new company that specializes in bath bombs for adults and children. They come in four different sizes and many different scents to choose from. And did you know that BTB bath bombs even have health benefits? The different scents may be able to help with different medical conditions.Want to make your kids' bath time more fun? They also have various bath bombs in the shape of rocks, beach items, glass slippers, ducks, footballs, sticks of chalk, popsicles, and even a cupcake! How cool is that?

These bath bombs also make perfect favors for baby showers, weddings, birthdays, and even teacher gifts!

We were lucky to have received a few bath bombs to try and let me tell you, it was heavenly. I took one with me on a layover and could hardly wait to get off the plane and into my hotel room. I ran the water, dropped one in, and soaked my passenger troubles away. Ahhhh . . .

Giveaway: How would you like to win a gift set of 3 different sizes of bath bombs in your choice of scents? To enter:

Friday, July 18, 2008

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your participation.The winner is Shelly @ Shelly's Bookshelf.Congratulations!

If you have a little ballerina living in your home, she's going to love this!

Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake takes you on a journey to the Paris Opera Ballet as they dance to the classical Swan Lake Ballet. "In between each act, the children return home,dress up in fun pretty tutus, and learn a simple ballet step. Each step is playfully shown mixed into a colorful montage of toys, animals, birds, children and young dancers from the School of American Ballet."

My daughters enjoyed this interactive DVD and the narration by Prima Princessa helped them understand the story behind Swan Lake. Even I learned a few new things! The transformations between animation to live performances kept this DVD entertaining and was able to hold my girls' attentions longer than most DVDs.

That's always a good thing! *don't judge me - hee hee*

Aimed at pre-school girls, this 40 minute DVD may be purchased at Amazon.com ($19.99) or visit the Prima Princessa site today!

Giveaway: How would you like to win a copy of your very own? To enter:

Kids Travel Writing Contest - Young Readers are invited to write a short story about one of their own real life or imaginary travel adventures anywhere in the world. The best stories will be published on smartpoodlepublishing.com and lillybadilly.com. Three lucky winners will each receive $25 in cash, a free copy of the Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica, autographed to each winner by Author/Illustrator/Voice Talent Debbie Glade.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

The Savvy Source is a place where parents can go for endless resources on topics such as educational resources, toys & games, classes & activities, books, and many other helpful topics. This site is geared towards parents of younger children and also includes interactive educational quizzes to help you identify your child's strong areas as well as those they need a little help with.

The cool thing about The Savvy Source is the Preschool Assessment Guide. It's a tool where you answer a few questions and it will produce a customized guide of books, games, & activities based on where your child's development is right now. There are different areas to explore which includes visual arts, science, abc's, music, early math, social skills, movement & coordination, and time & space. It will also keep track of the child's progress throughout the program.

We tried a couple of the quizzes - visual arts & music. The quizzes consisted of about 10 multiple choice questions long and didn't take very long to complete. Once you're done, you'll immediately get your results and a list of books & activities gears towards your results.As a part of this campaign, I was also fortunate to be able to review the Leapfrog Tag Reading System. Basically, it's a computerized wireless pen-type instrument that reads as your child points to the words.

Installing the program wasn't as easy as I thought it would be and it took longer than expected to download and set-up. However, once that was done, everything worked perfectly. My older daughter loved that she could use the pen to figure out words she didn't know without having to ask for help. My younger girl was amazed that it "talked" to her and help to reinforce her alphabet recognization. It came with a few books including Kung Fu Panda which was a big hit with my girls!

Finally, you see that cool Savvy Widget in my sidebar? Answer those 2 questions and you're on your way to improving your child's learning skills with fun activities for the whole family!